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Old Oct 21, 2023, 2:46 pm
  #1  
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Best holidays for UA upgrades

Looking to book FCO-IAD on 12/31 for 4 of us. Thinking of splitting us up 2 & 2 for better chance at upgrade. Is 12/31 a notoriously easier or worse day for Europe - US upgrades? Will book in Premium Plus (A class) and use PlusPoints for the upgrade (both wife and I are 1K). Thanks!
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Old Oct 21, 2023, 5:58 pm
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Originally Posted by TWA Guy
Looking to book FCO-IAD on 12/31 for 4 of us. Thinking of splitting us up 2 & 2 for better chance at upgrade. Is 12/31 a notoriously easier or worse day for Europe - US upgrades? Will book in Premium Plus (A class) and use PlusPoints for the upgrade (both wife and I are 1K). Thanks!
I don't know about "notoriously" but it's traditionally been a fairly low volume travel day. This year it falls on Sunday so you may have a higher than usual volume of travelers returning to the US after a European Christmas holiday.

Just looking at the seatmap on UA885 for 12/31, it looks fuller than you'd ideally like to see this far out.
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Old Oct 21, 2023, 6:27 pm
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Originally Posted by Kacee
I don't know about "notoriously" but it's traditionally been a fairly low volume travel day. This year it falls on Sunday so you may have a higher than usual volume of travelers returning to the US after a European Christmas holiday.

Just looking at the seatmap on UA885 for 12/31, it looks fuller than you'd ideally like to see this far out.
All great points thanks, I assume even if we had a shot it would be at the gate at departure time.
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Old Oct 21, 2023, 7:27 pm
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At this point, the flights/wait lists are way shorter on 12/29 and 1/1.
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Old Oct 21, 2023, 8:42 pm
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Originally Posted by TWA Guy
All great points thanks, I assume even if we had a shot it would be at the gate at departure time.
UA normally clears down to J2 at check-in, so only if it goes down to the wire.
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Old Oct 21, 2023, 10:12 pm
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Originally Posted by Kacee
UA normally clears down to J2 at check-in, so only if it goes down to the wire.
"At check-in" meaning 24 hrs out?
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Old Oct 22, 2023, 9:01 am
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Originally Posted by cesco.g
"At check-in" meaning 24 hrs out?
Yes. Sometimes they'll process to J3 around T-36, that's less common.
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Old Oct 22, 2023, 10:04 am
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I would expect the flight to be mostly full, though perhaps J will have more empty seats. I wouldn’t exactly call NYE a magic day for upgrade space.
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Old Oct 22, 2023, 10:15 am
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Should be pretty full. Nothing “notorious” about it.
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Old Oct 22, 2023, 11:26 am
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IME travel around holidays and other big events that disrupts the regular travel patterns of business flyers can lead to lighter loads, but as pointed out above how they fall in the calendar matters as well as destination. So while overall loads would be more volatile it seems that this year leaving earlier or later would up your chances more than splitting in 2 (splitting in 2 across two separate flights would be ideal to try and clear everyone)
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Old Oct 22, 2023, 2:23 pm
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I found the best holiday for upgrades was 12-25 flying LHR-ORD. One year there was only 6 of us in J. People in Y were trying to poach upgrades but the FAs weren't having it.
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Old Oct 22, 2023, 4:18 pm
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Thanksgiving Day is a good one for international flights.
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Old Oct 22, 2023, 6:44 pm
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Originally Posted by econ
Thanksgiving Day is a good one for international flights.
Except for South destinations like Carribean.
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Old Oct 22, 2023, 9:55 pm
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My wife and I often travel on Christmas Eve and NYE -- from the US to the EU -- upgrades have always been much easier.... The reverse is always much tougher -- just our experience....
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Old Oct 23, 2023, 3:07 pm
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Statically speaking it be Super Bowl Sunday
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